Timeline of John Williams' movements on night of Cpl. Cole's murder

One fact Shulenski disputes is that he put a shotgun in the trunk of the car when he picked Williams up from the Indian Ridge apartments.

Author:
Chris Costa

Published:
3:54 PM EDT May 2, 2018

Updated:
5:50 PM EDT August 30, 2018

SOMERSET COUNTY (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Court documents and witness accounts are slowly filling the gaps in the story about the night 29-year-old John Williams allegedly shot and killed Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy Corporal Eugene Cole.

NEWS CENTER Maine spoke with Chris Shulenski on Wednesday, one of the men to give John Williams a ride on that night around the time Cpl. Cole was shot and killed.

Shulenski said he talked with John Williams earlier that day, checking in on his former friend and co-worker.

"He was depressed about his girlfriend," Shulenski said. "He was nervous about his court appearance in Massachusetts -- 'I don't know if I can do 10 years,' he said."

Williams' girlfriend, Kristina Pomerleau was arrested on Saturday, April 21 on drug charges.

Shulenski said Williams pondered the idea of not showing up for his court date, but kept waffling. He was scheduled to appear in Massachusetts on charges of illegally carrying a firearm.

"He kept bouncing back and forth," Shulenski said.

One fact Shulenski disputes is that he put a shotgun in the trunk of the car when he picked Williams up from the Indian Ridge apartments.

"That's just not true," Shulenski said.

TIMELINE of 3/25, the night Corporal Cole was shot:

1 a.m. -- John Williams asks Chris Williams to drive him to the Indian Ridge Apartments in Skowhegan.

1:06 a.m. -- Chris Shulenski says he receives a call from John Williams asking to be picked up from the Indian Ridge Apartments. It takes Williams a while to arrive at Shulenski's car, where he and his girlfriend Brittany Roseberry are waiting. When he does, he is accompanied by two other men, one named Chris; Shulenski said he did not know the other man's name. They load bags and a bulletproof vest into the car. Chris Williams says he saw Shulenski put a shotgun in the trunk. Shulenski said Wednesday that is not true.

On their way to the residence, Shulenski and Williams notice a Somerset County Sheriff's deputy pickup truck parked at the Cumberland Farms in Norridgewock.

1:15 a.m. -- Chris Shulenski drops John Williams off at his former residence. Shulenski identified it as a home on Mercer Road. Williams formerly lived at 16 Mercer Road. Shulenski said he helped John unload the car and place some bags and the bulletproof vest on the ground. Roseberry watches John take bags from trunk of their car and place it in a silver SUV parked in the driveway at that home.

A Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy cruiser passes by the driveway where they are standing. Williams advises Shulenski and Roseberry to wait for a moment, but they decline, and leave Williams in the driveway.

1:30 a.m. -- Chris Williams receives a call from John Williams where John confesses to shooting and killing Deputy Cole and stealing his cruiser. John Williams asked Chris to pick him up from Martin Stream Road.

Chris finds John standing outside 508 Martin Stream Road. Chris Williams says John got in the car, and started smoking from a crack pipe. Chris says John demanded his cellphone and car. Chris gave John his phone, but not his car, and told him to get out.